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Sunday, April 11, 2010

Author's Panel

So we just did our bloggers panel and WHEW! We survived. So I guess after 2 years of attending these conferences I've finally ended up on the other side. Which I have to say is pretty fun, if not a little nerve wracking.

But now we're sitting for another panel, one we're not on! Whew! Though hopefully we will find ourselves there soon.

Anyway a few of the attendees who have books published or soon to be published are now in the hot seat ready to answer questions.

My mind is still kind of whirling from ours, and Donna is sitting next to me working on it, but I'll do my best to report.

Litttle known fact: Firefly is the official insect of PA....I know you wanted to know that;)

Sandy Asher is reading a really wonderful letter from a student she visited at a school, thanking her for inspiring her to write. It's really touching....we should all be lucky to receive letters like that one day.

Another writer is relaying a story about a reader who kept an early copy of her book when she went through a very rough time in her life. It's amazing how much books can touch a person, I guess this is why we're all writing.

Someone from the audience asked if the authors on the panels have agents--most do not. But Judy Schachner just sold the option rights for a movie, so she does have a Hollywood lawyer.

Judy Schachner is telling us about how much pressure kids put on her to write more Skippyjon Jones books.

Someone just asked what was the most important thing that led to being published?

--Persistence!!! Keep going!

--Patience

--Be Prolific! Keep writing, don't just write one story and stop.

--Coming to conferences--you meet great friends, network, make connections, meet your future editors or agents.

--Collect your ideas, inspiration can come from all of areas of your life.

Ok well, we have to go pack our room up and then eat!


2 comments:

  1. Cool details, thanks. You sound like you're having a great time. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks so much for blogging about the conference! My critique partner and I usually attend the Poconos conference, but decided to do another spring conference instead. It included literary poetry (which I also write), adult fiction (which my critique partner also writes), as well as non-fiction and children's work. Some of the same elements were offered, but there were also some new things--like being able to read from your own work. However, we really missed the camaraderie of the children's writers and will be there next year! Thanks, again, for keeping us informed so well on all the wonderful things that went on. Sorry we had to miss your panel contribution, but maybe we'll see it at another conference!

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